Benin’s elected president visits Niamey amid diplomatic thaw

The newly elected President of Benin Romuald Wadagni made a brief diplomatic visit to Niamey on June 2, marking his first trip to Niger since the military takeover in the capital in July 2023. The meeting with General Abdourahamane Tiani, leader of Niger’s ruling junta, signals a potential easing of tensions that have strained relations between the two neighboring countries. Niamey has kept its border with Benin closed, accusing Cotonou of aligning too closely with Paris and attempting to destabilize the regime.

After landing in Niamey, President Wadagni was greeted by General Tiani. Following a prior stop in Nigeria, his second diplomatic stop was in Niger, where discussions focused on revitalizing security cooperation. Both nations face persistent jihadist threats along their shared borders.

Wadagni departed Niamey mid-afternoon and was expected to continue his regional tour in Burkina Faso.

According to an official statement from Benin’s presidency, the visit reflects the president’s commitment to active neighbor diplomacy, aiming to strengthen ties with all countries bordering Benin. Hints of a thaw emerged during Wadagni’s inauguration in Cotonou, where Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine attended the ceremony.

Earlier this year, President Patrice Talon, Wadagni’s predecessor and mentor, was publicly accused by General Tiani of supporting jihadist attacks on Niamey’s airport—a claim consistently denied by authorities in Cotonou. Benin itself has faced deadly jihadist violence in its northern regions, which share a border with Niger. Conversely, Niger has faced allegations of involvement in a failed coup attempt in Benin in December 2025, though Cotonou has not formally implicated Niamey.